294 



PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN MILK 



affected cows until later, when the 

 disease also appeared in this district, 

 owing to some of the milk from the 

 affected cows being sent there. When 

 the sale of the milk was prohibited 

 in London, some of it was clandes- 

 tinely distributed amongst the poor of 

 Hendon. Amongst those served, half 

 a dozen families were invaded by 

 scarlatina at a time when the disease 

 had ceased to exert its influence in 

 the London districts. 



The intermission which had occurred 

 in the scarlatina in Hampstead and St 

 Pancras during the lo days referred to 

 above, was at the time when the infec- 

 tive cows had been moved into a shed 

 sending milk only to Marylebone. A 

 few days later they were again moved 

 into a shed from which milk was dis- 

 tributed to the two former districts. 



Thus the investigation showed the 

 Hendon farm to be the main source, 

 and, as far as could be judged, the cows 

 referred to, the particular source of 

 the implicated milk, for the disease 

 followed the distribution of their milk. 

 The further inquiry was with regard 

 to the nature of the disease or influence 

 appertaining to these cows. 



Apparent exciting cause. — (?) Cow 

 disease. — (?) Human source. 



Reporter and reference. — W. H. 

 Power, F.R.S. Loc. Gov. Bd. Rep., 

 1885, pp. 73-1 1 1. 



■Wimbledon and Merton, 1886-7 



(December ana January). 



Total number of cases , . 545 

 Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 493 

 Percentage on total cases . .90-5 

 Number of families supplied by 



milkman 274 



Number of such families invaded 1 72 



Percentage .... 63 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — No fewer than 431 attacks 

 occurred in a single week at end of 



December. In this epidemic week 

 consumers of the suspected milk 

 suffered 700 times as much as con- 

 sumers of milk from other sources, 

 and throughout the entire period, in 

 the proportion of 100 to i. The out- 

 break followed the delivery track of 

 the milk. The disease fell especially 

 on well-to-do people, and attacked 

 most severely those who consumed 

 most milk. Incubation period varied 

 from 30 hours to 5 days. The sanitary 

 conditions of farm and dairy were 

 satisfactory. Some of the cows how- 

 ever, " appeared to be recovering from 

 an affection of the skin and udder, 

 very similar to the malady reported 

 on by Dr Klein " at Hendon. 



Apparent exciting cause. — (?) Cow 

 disease. 



Reporter and reference. — W. H. 

 Power, F.R.S. Loc. Gov. Bd. Rep., 

 1886, pp. 327-338. 



Glasfifow, 1888 {October). 



Total number of cases . . 56 

 Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 43 



Percentage on total cases . . 'j'j 

 Number of families supplied by 



milkman 363 



Number of such families invaded 29 



Percentage ..... 8 



Number of polluted milk sources i 



Number of milkmen . . . i 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — Members of the families of 

 two dairymen ill from throat affection 

 following on s,carlet fever in other 

 meml:)ers at one of the shops. Family 

 relations of the two businesses were 

 interlaced. Forty cases out of the 56 

 occurred in 4 days, limited to con- 

 sumers of the milk, and of well-to-do 

 classes. The amount of milk con- 

 sumed bore an exact relation to the 

 severity and extent of the disease. 



Probable exciting cause. — Human 

 source. 



